Seven Cities of Gold is a 1955 American historical adventure film directed by Robert D. Webb and starring Richard Egan, Anthony Quinn and Michael Rennie, filmed in DeLuxe Color and CinemaScope. It tells the story of the eighteenth-century Franciscan priest, Father Junípero Serra and the founding of the first missions in what is now California. The screenplay is based on the 1951 novel The Nine Days of Father Serra by Isabelle Gibson Ziegler. The tag line of the film was “This is the story of the making …and the forging…of California…when men chose gold or God…the sword or the Cross”.
Plot
In 1769, the expedition of Captain Gaspar de Portolà (Anthony Quinn) to California is in search of fabled cities of gold. Its religious advisor, peace-loving missionary Father Junípero Serra (Michael Rennie), wishes to establish good relations with the local natives and to build a string of missions, beginning at San Diego Bay. He is unexpectedly aided when Portola’s prideful second in command, Lt. Jose Mendoza (Richard Egan), saves the life of Matuwir (Jeffrey Hunter), the grandson of the local chief. But when a supply ship fails to appear and the expedition prepares to return to Mexico a failure, Mendoza betrays Matuwir’s sister Ula (Rita Moreno), whom he has seduced, resulting in her accidental death by a fall from a cliff. Threatened with annihilation by Matuwir’s warriors when both Portola and Father Serra refuse to turn him over, Mendoza prevents war by surrendering himself to Matuwir for torture and execution. As the Spaniards begin to leave, the supply ship appears in the bay as if by a miracle.
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Enjoyed it very much. Thanks for uploading
How religion poisons everything 😉
Boring movie
If your imaginary friend truly existed, do you really think he would've allowed the LONG history of atrocities committed in his name? All for wealth and power. The worst crime committed against man has always been Organized Religion.
Very. Fine. One. 🎉🎉🎉💢💥💫👍👌
Shout out to my 7th grade history teacher for showing us this movie. HI MR.FIELDS!!
WOW, what a load of nonsense.
Catholic rubbish.
Doesn't represent true Christian people
One like for the priest's first address
That priest is one hell of a killjoy
I guess Spain owes reparation to Mexico as well as the Ohlone and Chumash tribes of California.
thanks from France ! great movie
A Spanish god botherer preaching about murdering the locals… oh the hypocrisy.
Where can I purchase a copy of this movie?!
Gizmo……..,.11/30/23……….👍
The Native Americans spoke good English then. Wow! Must have taken online courses. BTW, good movie, quite interesting from the early Spanish POV though most here are Anglos, not to mention the NAs (Tab Hunter in his BVDs doesn't count).
I wonder why an epic of Hernan Cortez's conquest of the Aztecs and Montezuma has never been produced.
What a great movie thumbs up
None of the actors representing Spaniards are Spanish. They're Americans or Mexicans. Big difference.
Trivia:-
Michael Rennie: who played the role of the Catholic Priest:
b: 1909-1971: Riding of Yorkshire: England: 1971 he journeyed to his mother's home in Yorkshire: upon the recent death of his brother: It was there that he died suddenly of an aortic aneurysm aged 61 years old: he is buried in Harrogate:
He was married twice: both marriages endedi in divorce: he had 2 sons: John and David:
Wow, that first-minute intro is about as biased and self-centered as history can be told. lol
Starts off with a good Western and a few minutes into it another lesser movie starts,,this sucks
lots to think about-but bizzarro portrayal of natives.